Aeroplane.



a. w'. THOMPSON.

AEBOPLANL APPLIGATIOI FILED 10V; 18, 1910.

Patented 1m 5, 1911. f-

er Y. [El:

mokfffrs G. W. THOMPSON.'

AEBOPLANE.

APPLICATION IILED NOV. 18,'1910.

1,010,986. y l 'P11-11111111 111111. 5, 1911.

' 1 Arrom'rs i 4o suitable framework 4. My aeroplane is also GEORGE WASHINQTQN Be it known that I, Groen THOMP- soN, a citizen of the United States', and a residentv of Kingston, in the oounty' of Mar- 5 shall andState of Cklahoma, have invented a new and Improved- Aeroplane, of whichv the following is a'full, clear, and exact description.

My mvention relates to dying-'machines of A10 `the'heavier-than-air type, and my Objectis this class which has to provide a machine o not only its propellers so arranged. that they 'drive the machine but steer it also. By suchA a construction I minimize the necessity of using movable 'rudders heretofore, used. to control the machines course of travel.

A further object of my invention is to arl range the parts so as to keep the machine properly balanced and prevent 1t from becoming-top-heavy. This I accomplish by locatingl the power plant'directly below the centerof gravity of the supporting planes, and bythe manner in which the anes are tilted with reference to the line o travel.

Referenceis to be had to the accompanyingdrawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference 'indicate corresponding parts in all the views. Figure 1 is a perspective view of 'my improved aeroplane; Fig. 2 is a plan `v1ew of the lower half of the machine, showing the engine andthe propellers; Fig.- 3 is a longitudinal section through the middle of the aeroplane; and Fig. 4 shows -the steering propellers and their controlling gear.

The aeroplane illustrated in the accomi -panying drawings is in the form of a biplane having forward lifting planes -5 and 6, which are connected to each other by a provided with a tail portion to the rear of the lifting planes 5 and, and spaced. therefrom, but connected to the body ofthe vmachine by suitable framework 1. This tail portion has. horizontal planes -5 and Gf and vertical planes 2 andv 3. The upper lifting plane is continuous, but ,the -lower lifting plane-is cut away in thel middle to accommodate the engine or motor 7 ,the same being located below thelevel of the lplane 5` so as to have its center of ravity below the ,center of gravity of all t e planes of my l iyingl machine. The open spaces between the 'engine and the lower planes give room manson,- OF KINQSTQN. OKI-Amm;

LnnorLANn`- 1,010,986, specification-of 'Letters raient. naman mea Hmmm 18,1910. serial Na. 59am.

To all wlwm 'it may concern:

for the Propellers and their control mechanism.` Inorder to" propel the aeroplane use is 'Patented Dc, 1911];

made of a driving propellerS and 'for steer- X ing purposes use -1s made of steering propellers 10,10, the said propellers 8 andlO,

10 being mounted on the framework 4. The

pro eller 8 is driven by the motor, directly A or t ough sprocket gearing, as shown; and s thepropellers 10 are connected to the motor by transmission mechanism which includes reversing mechanism, so that thepropellers 10 can be rotated forward or backward, as will be described later. l

Numeral 9 indicates a balancingrudder which is preferably fan-shaped or sectorshaped and is mountedv to be moved by means ofsuitable levers around a vertical.

axis vpassing centrally through the front part ofthe planes 5 and 6; This rudder is guided andsupported-near its outer end in a guidewayl formed of curved bars 11, one

above and one below the rudder, and connected at their ends rigidly to the vertical trusses of the framework. The rudder 9 is, of course, supported at the necessary angle against its surface and enable the' rudder 9 to'assist in sup orting the machine exactly as in the case of) the planes 5 and 6.

15 is the elevating rudder arranged at the rear of the lower-plane- 5. This rudder is mounted to be swung to some extent around a horizontal axis transverse to the directionA oftravel, the said axis being preferably about onthe same line asthe rear edge ofv the lower plane 5. By lowering the rear end of the rudder 15 (which can-be done by levers or cords), the vertical componentof the-reactive force can be increased, causing -to the horizontal, sothat the air will `react the rear ofthe aeroplane to rise, and thus keep the machine horizontal.

Referring to Fig.v 3, it will be noted that the lifting plane 6 and taily plane vv6 are tilted to a greater" extent than the lifting plane 5 and'tail plane 5'.. The lifting moment of the front planes 5 and 6 with ref- A erence to the center of gravity of yall the planes will be yapproximately balanced by the lifting moment due to- 4the two rear planes 5 and 6 and tothe elevating rudder 15. Therefore, themachinewill not .tilt upward or vdownwardvalong its line of'flight,

and the center ofgravit-'y 'of the planes will always be kept directly above thejengine.'-

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The main shaft 7a shown in Fig. 4 has two friction ears 17 fixed thereon. 18 are friction wheels mounted on shafts arranged to swing on pivots 18a on the framework. Each shaft 18 bears a miter ar 19, meshing with a gear 20 on a ho low shaftr21.

-These hollow shafts are supported on parts 0f the framework 22 and transmit ower to the steering propellers 8. The friction gears 18 are controlled by levers 23. The gears 19 and 20 have a loose fit, so that the friction wheels 18 can be moved into contact with either friction gear 17, without disengaging the gears 19 and 20. By this construction either or both the Propellers 10 can be rotated forward or backward, or they can be thrown out of action entirely by moving the gears 18 to a position midway between the two wheels 17. The two propel'- lers 10 are of course equidistant from the main shaft 7S. j

The rear rudder 15, being located between the front and rear lower planes, serves to equalize the fore and aft lift of the planes. It is so connected that it cannot be raised above the level of the rear plane 6, and it does its work by being pulled down atA its `rear to a-sulicient extent to keep themachine from climbing into the air, and to helpthe lift of the rear planes to keep the body of the machine substantially on a level. By raising the rear end of the rudder 15, the opposite effect is produced and the aeroplane permitted to rise.

In operation, the propeller 8 drives the machine and the aeroplane is turned to the right or left by means of one or the other of the steering propellers 10. The speed can be increased if desired by start-ing both propellers 10 and causing them to assist the main propeller 8, or the speed can be decreased by starting them both in the opposite direction. All these results can be 0btained without'.V in any manner interfering with or adjusting the engine. If the machine tilts to one side, the balancing rudder is swung over to. the side that is sinking, thus increasing the lifting surface on that side and righting the machine. If the rear of the machine sinks. the rudder 15 is lowered, and if it be desired to fly upward, the rudder 15 is pulled slightly upward, causing the machine to travel upward. The rudder 9 is controlled by a lever 12, which also controls the guide wheel 13. Supporting wheels 14 arealso provided.

Isuperposed liftin tal planes, the li ing and tail planes being Having' thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent :-V i

1. In an aeroplane, the combination of planes and superposed spaced apart, the u perlifting and the lower tail plane being t1 ted at a different angle from the other planes.

2. In an aeroplane, the combination of super osed lifting planes and tail planes space apart, the u per lifting and the lower tail plane being ti ted at a different angle vfrom the other planes, and an elevating rudder between the lifting and tail planes.

3. In an aeroplane, the combination of superposed lift-ing and superposed tail planes spaced apart, the upper lifting and the lower ftail plane being tilted at dlft'erent angles from theother planes, a balancing rudder and an elevating rudder to swing 'up and down, adjustably mounted on a transverse horizontal axis between the lifting and tail planes.

4. In an aeroplane, the combination of a lifting plane, a balancing rudder pivotally connected to said aeroplane to be adjusted around a vertical axis and extending forward of the plane, and a pair of curved bars carried by said aeroplane, said balancing rudder passing between said curved bars to be guided thereby when the rudder is moved to adjusted position. j,

5. In an aeroplane, the combination of a lifting plane and a tail plane spaced apart from the lifting plane, the lifting plane and the tail plane being tilted at the same angle, an elevating rudder located between 4the lifting plane and the tail plane, and a motor carried by said aeroplane beneath the center of gravit-y of the said planes and said rudder, the lifting moment of the lifting plane being equal to the lifting moment of the elevating rudder and the tail plane.

'6. In an aeroplane, the combination of superposed lifting planes and superposed tail planes spaced apart, the upper lifting and the lower tail planes being tilted at different angles from the other planes, the angle of tilting of the said upper lifting and thelower tail planes being equal, and an elevating rudder located between the lifting planes and the tail planes.

In testimony whereof I have signed my' nameto this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

y GEORGE WASHINGTON THOMPSON.

Witnesses:

J. A. BEAMS, I. P. CRABTREE. 

